This invention relates to an automatic tool exchange apparatus in which a wearable tool such as a grindstone is exchanged when it is worn beyond its service life or in which one tool is selected from a wide variety of tools depending upon the particular job and is exchanged for and used in place of another tool.
In general, when a wearable tool such as a grindstone is worn beyond its service life in a grinding operation, the grindstone must be exchanged for a new grindstone. Accordingly, a grindstone exchange apparatus disclosed in e.g. the specification of Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) No. 47-25622 has been proposed for the purpose of exchanging grindstones automatically.
The grindstone exchange apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned patent publication has a grindstone carrying device for grasping and detaching a grindstone, which has completed prescribed grinding work, from a grinding device, and for carrying the grindstone to a storage device where the grindstone is deposited. The grindstone carrying device then grasps and detaches a grindstone to be used next from the storage device, carries this grindstone to the grinding device and loads it on the grinding device. A grindstone exchange apparatus of this kind is capable of exchanging grindstones rapidly and easily.
However, in a conventional exchange apparatus of the type described in the aforementioned patent publication, a grindstone carrier is provided with a grindstone sleeve locking portion and a hole into which a clamp screw is fitted. As a result, the grindstone carrier is complicated in construction and it is difficult to control the operation thereof. In addition, the overall arrangement is complex.